


Programming

by readergirl101



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Diamond Days, Homeworld is Horrible, Pearl Solidarity (Steven Universe)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 10:22:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16852246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/readergirl101/pseuds/readergirl101
Summary: “Pink Diamond was Rose Quartz.”“Yes.”“So there is no Renegade,”





	Programming

“Welcome back.”

The door shuts behind Blue Diamond and Steven. Pearl tries not to be annoyed at once again being reduced to furniture and decoration. 

Blue Pearl speaks again before Pearl has the chance to respond. “I knew you were the renegade.”

Pearl is less surprised than she would have expected. Of course, if there was anyone who would have figured it out, it would be her. Pearl tears her gaze away from the oor, not liking to leave Steven alone with Blue Diamond, but certain that she won’t hurt him.

“When did you know?” Pearl asked.

“When you and Rose Quartz attacked Blue Diamonds court,” Blue said. She isn’t looking at Pearl, although her hair makes it hard to say that for certain. Her hands were still clasped behind her back. “Yellow thought it was insane. It didn’t really make sense. But then Pink Diamond was shattered and you disappeared at the same time. So it had to be you.”

“I suppose Yellow still thought you were crazy for believing it?” Pearl guessed, trying vainly to lighten the mood. Blue didn’t answer her, turning to face Pearl.

“Pink Diamond was Rose Quartz.” It’s a question even though it sounds like a statement. 

Pearl nods, finding herself more relieved than ever that she is no longer struck with the horrible force of her hands clamping over her mouth, unable to say the truth no matter how badly she might want to. “Yes.”

“So there is no Renegade,” Blue Pearl says. Her voice is as soft as ever, but if she had a heart it would be breaking.

“What?” Pearl frowned. “I-”

“You were following your Diamonds orders,” Blue said.

“Rose- Pink- She never ordered me to do anything,” Pearl sighed. “Well, no, that’s not true, but-”

“We believed in you,” Blue says. She lifted her hand to her gem, projecting an image. It’s Pearl, two swords in her hands, slicing through Quartz guards the day of Garnet's first fusion. “Every Pearl in every galaxy has seen this by now,” Blue lefts her head, staring right at Pearl, which is somehow more unnerving with her eyes hidden. “And it’s nothing but a lie.” Blue swipes her hand through the image, glitching it out of existence.

“It’s not-” Pearl sighed. “That’s not how it was.”

Blue turns away, her hands clasped in front of her. “The Renegade was everything. Everything we thought maybe we could be. Even when things started to get worse, we thought it was alright because you were out there-”

“Worse?” Pearl interrupted. “What do you mean worse?”

“Worse,” Blue repeated. “More rules, more restrictions. Because suddenly who knows what a Pearl might do alone, or stars forbid, with other Pearls. And it didn’t matter because the Renegade was out there, even when we thought you hadn’t survived, you had been there once.  But you never were. It was all a lie.”

“Blue,” Pearl implored, her fingers twisting together. “Pink- Rose, she didn’t make me fight. I wanted-”

“It doesn’t matter what you wanted,” Blue snaped, her voice still softer than ever. Somehow that was worse than if she had started shouting. “You were still serving your Diamond. No matter what you thought you were really doing.”

“Fine,” Pearl relented. “Maybe I was. But Steven,” she pointed towards the closed doors. “Is not Pink. And he’s not Rose. Even if I was then-”

“She has Pink Diamonds gem?” Blue asked.

“Yes,” Pearl agreed reluctantly.

“Then it doesn’t matter what you say she is. It doesn’t matter how you think you feel about her. It’s nothing but programming.”

**Author's Note:**

> Just to be clear, I very firmly believe that Pearl absolutely was fighting because she wanted to and that in no way was the Renegade a lie.  
> But Blue Pearl doesn't know that.


End file.
